Tales of misery
by Morte Mistrata
Summary: There is no place for love in war. There can be no one else but him and his brother, lest the same thing that happened to her happen again.
1. Chapter 1

Solar cycle 36:

The door rattled as it slid open on rusty wheels. Light touched his face plates the first time in solar cycles, but he refused look up. He could see Shockwave's feet, which were replaced by a view of a dirty blue figure. Two cubes of energon were dropped off in the corner, then the door closed again. Sunstreaker looked up.

He could barely see the bot in the gloomy shadows. He reached out a pede and pushed it gently. He was rewarded with a low moan of static.

His chains rustled as he leaned forward. "Are you functional?" Sunstreaker asked, feeling for dents and leaks.

"Yes." She winced as he fingered torn wires. Sunstreaker stopped, half in surprise at her gender and half because she winced. "M'designation's Misery, sir. Thank you." He covered the open gashes with flattened energon cubes, the best sealant in the situation.

He leaned back against the wall. She lay still in the crumpled heap she had landed in.

"You can take the berth if you can make it. It's in the corner." He said, ignoring her silent plea for a friend. Friendship and camaraderie had no value here. It only brought pain.

She acknowledged his choice and limped to the bare berth in the corner. He offlined his optics and fell into an uneasy recharge.

Solar cycle 37:

When he onlined, she was being dragged away. She didn't bother to scream. It was somehow sad, like a turbofox resigned to it's fate of being hunted for sport. He said nothing, instead using those moments of light to look at her. Bright blue eyes. Blue and yellow colorings. Nice shape. Then she was gone and the door closed.

Sunstreaker waited- he was good at waiting- for his turn. They never took subjects together lest they try to coordinate an escape. He was taken less than a breem later. While they had to drag others, he walked. He refused to give them that. They arrived at the lab quickly. he knew what to do. He sat down on a berth, let the cuffs hold him down and waited. Only this time he wasn't alone.

Misery was on a berth a few over. Shockwave was not there. She opened her mouth to speak, and he silenced her with a glare. She should know not to talk in here, not to talk anywhere; everything was bugged.

Shockwave came in holding two psychic patches. He relaxed slightly; At least this time he wouldn't be hurt anymore. He could care less about his paint job now.

He watched as the patch was first connected to him then to her. It wouldn't work. They weren't compatible, nor did they like each other. Shockwave wouldn't be able to force a bond.

Sunstreaker said nothing, as was his custom. After all, what would begging do? It seemed to bring the scientist pleasure, if he could feel any.

Then they were switched on and Sunstreaker could feel his processor falling in on itself. Implosion, reformation and silence.

He was alone again. Why was he always alone? It was dark too, but he felt warm. Were his optics off? No. It was something else. The doors opened and the bright light nearly blinded him. as his vision cleared, he could make out the shape of the room. He was in the arena.

Someone pushed him into the ring and he tensed, readying for an attack. It was only him and a femme. Sunstreaker knew how vicious they could be, but she seemed different.

Misery, he realized. It was Misery. She had a sword extended, but her stance was not sure. She didn't have any intent to fight; she wanted to flee. Sunstreaker drew his sword back into his subspace.

"If you don't want to fight, I won't fight you." He said quietly. She hesitated for a moment before following his lead. She nodded her thanks and everything faded away.

Sunstreaker woke up on the experimentation berth. Two of Shockwave's minions roughly dragged him away. The world spun and he could barely remember the femme from the arena. Her presence was hazy and thin. Did he really meet the femme before.

The guards dropped him on the floor. They didn't even bother to chain him, he was so weak. misery was deposited next thim soon after, along with two cubes of energon.

His shut off his optics and tried to rest his processor, but the question kept bothering him. Was that his memory?

He didn't have to ask; She did.

"Was that...real?" Misery coughed static.

Sunstreaker was too tired to check on her. "I don't know." The silence consumed them again.

Solar cycle 38:

He onlined early this time. Another prisoner was being dragged away. They screamed and clutched and grabbed at doors. The sound of a stun gun silenced him. He offlined his optics again and tried to recharge once more.

He couldn't. Sunstreaker was wide awake now. So was Misery.

She seemed unable to handle the silence. Cybertronians were sociable as a rule, and he was an outlier. Misery would probably go insane if he didn't talk.

"I was a frontliner."

"I was a sniper. Arcee wouldn't let me do much servo to servo fighting. That's probably why I'm here." She vented. Sunstreaker stood up shakily. He offered her a servo.

She hesitated, but took it. When she stood, she was almost up to his chest plates. Misery was small, which had many advantages if she knew where to look for them.

"Let me see how you fight." He took a defensive stance. She looked up at him dubiously.

"Okay." She said, lunging at him. They had no weapons, so that probably left her at a disadvantage.

He ducked but did not attack back. She rolled to the side and took a classic gladiators stance. Misery made a swipe at his throat before taking a shot at his legs. He blocked her and mimed kicking her in the head.

"Not bad, but you give away your position too easily. It's all in the optics." He leaned back against the wall. She sat down.

They received no energon that solar cycle.

Solar Cycle 39:

Shockwave came at his usual time. This time his lackey's took them both at the same time. He strapped them to the berths, but did not use the psychic patch. Instead he pulled out a laser scalpel.

Sunstreaker didn't move as he created a gash in his leg. It hurt like pit, but it would burn more with movement. Energon bubbled up through the cracks and began to leak down his leg. Misery winced and her led strained against the bond.

Shockwave brought out the patches and Sunstreaker could feel himself falling into his memories.

This was a memory he could barely remember. He was walking alone in the edges of Kaon. The Growth's reached high into the sky, untouched and untamed. They were of a beauty unfound in the city. He pulled a sketchpad from his subspace and began to capture the scene.

His hand slid across the pad, marring the picture, as somebot fell on him.

The bot quickly moved away. "S-sorry sir. I didn't mean to-I just slipped and I-" The fem-bot stuttered, making her doorwings shiver. She was nearly leaking she was so upset.

"It's okay. I prefer to capture with paint and papyrus anyways." He erased the print.

She looked at him with confusion. "Why don't you just take a still? It'd last longer." Sunstreaker laughed.

He had heard that before, though in a different context. "It's more of my own this way. Like I own the memory."

"That's...beautiful. I wouldn't expect that from a gladiator." She smiled and her denta reflected the setting sun. He pulled out his rarer supplies, the imported stuff from the market.

"How do you know of me?" He asked as he began to draw her silhouette.

"I fought a couple times, in the femme qualifiers. I saw you fight sometimes. You're talented."

He added in her face, gently rubbing in shadows.

"Thanks. What's your designation? Perhaps I've heard of you." She laughed, and it sounded like wind chimes.

"Misery." The sun fell below the horizon. The city began to glow, as if competing to outshine the moon.

He added her color and breathed it to life. "Is that a stage name?"

"Of sorts." She smiled faintly. He received a ping from the ringmaster; It was time for a show. He subspaced the drawing.

She stood and left without further words. He did the same.

Sunstreaker onlined in his cell this time. Only one cube was on the tray in the corner and Misery was no where to be seen. He sat up to reach for it and she fell from beside him.

"Wha-" She quickly removed her servo from his. "Sorry." She blushed faintly.

Sunstreaker looked down at the cube. His tanks were empty, but so were hers. He took a sip.

"Here. Have the rest." Misery did not hesitate to drink some, leaving a little less than half.

"I'm full." She pushed the cube to him. Her growling tanks refuted that, but he doubted anything he could say would change her mind.

Sunstreaker nodded and finished the meager meal.

They waited for Shockwave in silence.


	2. Chapter 2

He knew that when Shockwave came, he would bring energon. He also knew that if he didn't come, they would have none. This solar cycle was long for Sunstreaker, probably longer for Misery. He couldn't help it; he was quiet when he was hungry and couldn't make the effort to change that with the thought of death by starvation on the edge of his processor.

She was the opposite. Instead of saving her energy by shutting down and recharging, she made music.

Misery's vocal processor was well crafted, so he didn't mind the noise much. The other prisoners didn't either.

" _Shattering cities and falling walls_

 _Our lives collapse around us_

 _Where has our compassion gone?_

 _Have we shot it away with the bullets?_

 _Have we let it reach the stars?_ "

"Just stop." Sunstreaker said calmly. He was tired of hearing about the war. He was living every day. He imagined it every night.

"A different topic then? She asked softly.

He thought of the songs from before. The love songs, the fighting songs, the nonsense and silly songs. Somehow silly didn't seem to fit the mood.

"Something about bonds maybe." He thought of his brother, who has hard to picture now. All he could remember was his voice and the thoughts they had shared. Their memories together were blurred.

She nodded. " _The sky can fall as fast as it wants_

 _nothing can break us apart_

 _One spark, one love can never be split_

 _with you, I can be alive and be living_

 _There's nothing to see without you next to me_

 _Everything is worthless without your hand in mine_

 _No matter the distance, I'll always know you have me_

 _No matter what, we can break the odds_

 _Promises mean nothing because they always come true_

 _I can only be broken and put together by you_

 _One half of a miracle is nothing but a mistake_

 _Hold my hand so I won't break_

 _Shifting through the rubble of our broken parts_

 _I mend you, you caress my spark_

 _Fluttering through our blunders_

 _I find nothing but eternal want"_

He closed his eyes and tried to remember him. Sideswipe, that was his name. He had forgotten his own twin's name. It was all Shockwave's fault. One solar cycle soon he would pay.

Solar cycle 41:

"Effectiveness is at seventy-two percent. Weapons: locked. Subspace: locked. Mental stability: lowered five percent. Subject still viable.' Sunstreaker watched passively as Shockwave recorded his stats. He was still functional. He would live.

The next subject was not so lucky. He was likely a Decepticon deserter, since his symbol had three slashes through it. He shook violently and it was obvious he would be taken away.

"Effectiveness is at thirteen percent. Weapons: Destroyed. Subspace: collapsed. Mental stability: lowered twenty-five percent. Subject not viable. subject three hundred and two will be sent to the toiling camps under Kaon to mine Cynin-13. If you survive three orns, you will be released." The mech said nothing. Cynin-13 was death. Anyone who touched it offlined. He had a better chance of survival here.

He turned and began to survey the femmes. Sunstreaker hated this part the most. They took the most torture than any of them, having to service key officers _and_ be subjects in these vile experiments.

Misery was the first.

"Effectiveness at eighty-two percent. Weapons: locked. Subspace: Locked. Mental stability: unchanged. Subject still viable." He moved on. Sunstreaker met optics with her, as if to convey their shared relief.

The check went on and on until Luna two rose from the horizon. They shuffled back to their cells with guns at their backs. They had energon then, slid through a crack in the door. two full cups each. Sunstreaker was too empty to worry about poison or the twin he could barely remember. He grabbed one and forced himself to consume it slowly, lest his tanks force it up again.

He placed the empty cube carefully on the ground next to the others and glanced over at his cellmate.

She had just picked up her second cube when the first came back.

Sunstreaker hated messes. He always had, still did. Still, he had grown a tolerance for them. He reached out and grabbed the unopened cube and pulled it away from the now spoiled energon. He rubbed her back.

When she finished, she sat up and leaned against the wall.

"Here." He passed her her other cube. "Drink slowly."

She nodded and took a sip.

"Recharge best you can tonight. I can't help what happens tomorrow." He warned as he slowly consumed his second. He left half of the energon in the cube. His tanks rumbled and he ignored them. He had been empty before. He could handle a half empty-tank.

A femme screamed from a cell or two over and Misery shivered. "I-I think I know what you mean."

He pushed the cube to her and gathered the empty ones.

This time she did not protest the extra provisions. She sipped it silently and slid back the empty container. Sunstreaker began to flatten them into small rectangles which he stacked beneath the berth in the darkest corner.

"What are you doing with them?"

He paused the mechanical motions.

"For repairs."

She nodded and climbed onto the berth. Sunstreaker continued stacking. The night stretched on endlessly before them.

Solar cycle 43:

When he onlined, the door was rattling open. Two mechs eyed him cautiously, guns primed and ready to shoot. The third carted Misery away. They left. It was silent.

He slammed his fist into the wall. It dented. Barely. His knuckles cracked and the fiery touch of pain spread. Violence did nothing. He was outnumbered. The others were useless. Sunstreaker knew he could only rely on himself.

He climbed on the berth he had ignored for solar cycles, since she came, and shuttered his optics. He could do nothing for her now.

Solar cycle 44:

Misery was deposited on the floor of the cell along with four cubes of energon, one of high grade. She must have done well, he noted. Sunstreaker crossed the small cell and grazed the new dents, scratches and leaks.

They had left the fluids on her, still moist. He immediately drew back and wiped his servo on the ground. She moaned weakly. He sighed. He hated messes and she was a big one.

He gathered the crushed cubes near her limp frame and began to cover the worst of the dents and leaks. The thin coverings began to stain dark purple and blue as they plugged the flow.

He picked up a cube and drank it slowly as he waited for her to online.

It seemed like forever had passed when she did.

"Sunny?" She called. He froze. His brother used to call him that. His twin. He hated that name. He wanted to be called that now more than anything.

"How was it?"

She vented, a mix of static and catching gears. "How do you think?" She stared at the ceiling. "It was my first time. Not how I imagined it."

"No one imagines this. I imagined peace and equality and a life in Crystal city. No one even considered this possibility when the war started." Sunstreaker placed the cube of high grade at her lips.

"You need it more than I do. Drink." Obediently she took a sip, nearly coughing it up.

"It hurts."

He shrugged. "It'll numb the pain and take it away for a bit."

She frowned, disturbing a cut in her helm. The blue trickled down her face and she winced.

Sunstreaker tried again and this time she finished it. The light in the hallway flickered.

"Do you want me to help you onto the berth?"

She shook her helm furiously. "I don't ever want to get on one again."

He said nothing as he moved the remaining cubes back into place. She would have to do that again and soon. He prefered not to mention it and she would prefer not to here.


	3. Chapter 3

Shockwave brought them to the lab together this time. She was led ahead of him down the dank halls. Sunstreaker watched with wary optics as she stumbled and they dragged her upright. He clenched his fists, causing the three guards who were walking with him to eye him with caution, He relaxed a bit. No need to get them more trigger happy than they already were.

Misery's frame shivered as Shockwave strapped her to the berth. Sunstreaker caught a glimpse of her optics; they were distant and cold. She was elsewhere, that was obvious. He wondered if she was remembering the lunarcycle before, or another time.

"Talk to her." Shockwave commanded. Sunstreaker reached for her. His digits were just a breath away, but they could not touch when her blue servos were by her side.

If he had not been allowed to, he would have done nothing. He wasn't stupid and wouldn't risk himself for another. She was a gladiator; she could handle a few bad memories. Now that he could calm her, call her back, he couldn't imagine why he wouldn't try.

"Misery. Fight it. Fight back. I can't help you because it's real. This happened to you. You have to conquer it on your own." He said in Kaonian tounges. He wondered if it would reach her processor.

For a moment, her digits touched his. Her eyes were clear and fearful. Then Shockwave connected the psychic patch and they were in darkness.

The arena was full. Bots from all over came to watch this match, the first mixed gender fight on record. He didn't want to fight this one, but it paid more than every other fight he'd had in the past breem altogether.

At least it wasn't to the death.

The doors opened and he saw his opponent. A small thing, blue and yellow with innocent optics. Was she really his opponent?

The announcer rang the bell and she produced a batch of throwing stars from her servos. The ridges on her back raised to pointed tips.

He got into a defensive position and released his twin swords. The bell rang again. She lunged at him.

He ducked out of the way and kicked her back. She landed on her stomach and threw the stars, one after another in quick succession.

Sunstreaker managed to avoid most of them, deflecting the ones he couldn't with his sword. Still, four of them embedded themselves into his armor.

They stung, but he could barely feel them thanks to the pain dampeners he had recently acquired. He growled and lunged at her, swords extended. they locked eyes as Sunstreaker skewered her shoulder. She ignored it; perhaps she knew she couldn't defend herself and get free at the same time. She electrified her digits and he immediately drew back. Those would short out the pain dampeners which would take away the clarity he possessed for the moment.

He withdrew his sword and exchanged his weapon for a sling-shooter. He circled around her as she tried to stop the leaking. She threw more stars and evaded his shots, but was more sluggish and less accurate.

Finally, she collapsed on the energon-stained ground. Sunstreaker aimed for her spark. A little nip on the side would hurt like hell and cost a lot to repair, but would pay him nicely; he needed the credits to keep his brother out of the ring. The crowd cheered loudly, a sound of static and clashing metal. He met her optics.

He paused, but did not withdraw his weapon. Her optics were bright, but worn. She couldn't afford to lose either and definitely couldn't afford to repair major damage. He moved the sling-shooter slightly to the left and fired. It skimmed her doorwing, a sensitive area for anybot, but she did not scream. She winced and waited as the ringmaster dragged her to be repaired. Sunstreaker continued the act, bowing and throwing energon-soaked armor pieces to the audience. The credits piled up, clinking in his helm.

He took a final look and returned to the labyrinth of the underside of the arena. He paused by the window to his quarters. Sides was recharging. He hadn't bothered to rinse the dried on dust, grime and congealed energon off before climbing into bed. He smiled. At least he was safe. At least he was whole.

His digits lingered over the keypad. For some reason, Sunstreaker decided to check on the femme he had fought that solar cycle. She had seemed familar and nonetheless, she had fought valiantly.

Sunstreaker walked through the hollow halls carefully, mindful to avoid the puddles of sludge that dripped from the factories above. Sides would have to clean it up the next solar cycle.

Finally he crossed into the femme wing. A full-bodied, black femme glared at him as he walked past the threshold. He ignored her and followed the trail of fresh claw marks and spilled energon to a small room in the back.

Blackout growled at him. "Get out. She doesn't need to hear you gloat before going back out there tonight."

"She's going to work up there after being in the arena only a little while ago?"

Blackice shrugged. "She's a pretty little thing and she needs the credits. Unless yer planning to take her place, she doesn't have a choice."

He peeked past her at the limp femme on the berth. The hole in her doorwing was welded nicely, if not beautifully. the other gashes were covered with a cheap nanite paper that would disappear in about a solar cycle, leaving a barely noticeable scar.

Her optics were dim, but he wondered if she was reliving the fight before.

"She sings well too." Blackout added quietly.

It clicked. He had met her before.

"What's her designation?"

Blackout paused, her digits on the door. "Misery, to you anyways." The door slid shut with a quiet click.

The door slid shut with a loud clash. Again, he did not remember getting back.

Misery put her hand on her knees and stared at her pedes.

"Are you wondering about the past?"

Sunstreaker looked at her, amused. "I wonder how we met. I wonder a lot about you."

Energon rushed to his digits, which he immediately hid behind him. He didn't want her to realize what he said, or mistake the meaning by his blushing. He looked back up to see her in the same position.

"Oh, you do?" She smirked smugly before bursting into musical giggles. "I'll solve some of those wonders then. One question a solar cycle each. Deal?"

"Deal?" He nodded in agreement. "What's your question?"

Misery paused for a moment and began to fiddle with a flattened energon cube. She twisted and turned it before answering. "Why did you join the rings?"

She grabbed another one and worked it into her palm. misery paused and glanced up at him to check if he'd heard.

He tried to picture his brother. He couldn't. Sunstreaker could remember why he chose it, he could remember the vague feeling of Sides next to him, but for the love of Primus' he could not picture his brother.

"I think I did it for my brother. We were ditched as soon as we were in our youngling frame on the farthest alley from our creators' flat. Even then I think I knew." He vented softly. "I saw a rusted, old mech fight for all he was worth to keep a femme off the street for a lunar cycle. It was my fault for sneaking into the building to watch, but Kaon was new and I was curious. He was offlined in a matter of moments. I could feel it, the hot inside when I thought of Sides being in that position. When I got caught for stealing, my choices were to sell myself or my fights. I suppose you know what I chose."

She opened her palms and revealed a miniature servo, positioned to look like it was reaching for help through the floor.

He dared not touch it; His servos dwarfed it in size.

"That's pretty. You like to craft?" She nodded.

She gestured to him. Ask your question.

"What's your designation? Your real one." He leaned against the dark and grime-covered wall and waited.

"Melancholia." She smiled. "I've always been named some form of sadness." Misery carefully lifted the servo and placed it on the berth. "We'll get out of here some solar-cycle and you'll introduce me to your twin."

Sunstreaker smiled. "And you'll change your name to some form of happy." She smiled back before lying down next to him. Was it just his imagination, or was she closer than before?

Solar cycle 46:

Shockwave brought them back to the lab again, separately. Misery arrived after he did a bit cleaner than before with bruises that weren't there last time. The Con who brought her looked smugly at him before turning to leave. The bonds weren't on him yet and he took that opportunity to attack the vile mech. He crunched through his voice modulator with his bare denta, before peeling off layers after layers of armor. The Decepticon gurgled.

Sunstreaker spit out the mouthful of energon and crushed metal. "Let's go."

Misery nodded and scurried off the table behind him. She said nothing as she stepped over the limp body beneath her, but her face showed her awe. It had been nearly a breem since he'd tried to escape, but he could still recall every guard's schedule, every turn of the hall and the location of the armory.

He kept an eye out for cameras as he pulled her into the armory. The weapons were scarce pickings; only a few guns and swords, none intergratable were left.

"Take this one instead." Misery whispered, passing him a smaller gun. He raised an optic ridge. "It packs more punch and is quieter."

"Alright then. Take the curved blade." He ordered. They could only hold two weapons at a time, which limited the amount of shots they could take.

He glanced at her again. He would do this. For her _and_ for him.

They stepped out into the hall, back to back. It was empty. He shot out each camera from the side and she took care of any unlucky enough to be in their way. They were in front of the door when he paused.

"This was too easy. It doesn't feel right." He checked behind them. No one had come. No alarm had been rung.

"He raped me with the strangest look in his optic. Like, it wasn't fun for him or something. Mechanical, that's the word for it." She shrugged. "We can't go back."

He nodded and aimed his gun at the door. "True. let's go."

He pushed through the door and fired. They were surrounded. Shockwave was watching from afar, way behind the hundred or so soldiers with guns all trained on them.

"Nice work. I didn't expect you to figure it out. the probability was low." The cyclops said, before turning to his soldiers. "Bring them to solitary confinement."

At this point, he knew they had lost. He looked at the gun. Could he do it? could he end his existence and his brother's to escape this?

Melancholia dropped her gun to the ground with a loud clatter.

No, he couldn't. He couldn't leave her and he couldn't kill him. He set his gun and knife on the ground. It was crushed underfoot as the crowd seized them and carried them in different directions.

Solar cycle 47:

It was lonely and quiet without her. His spark hurt more than it had in ages.


	4. Chapter 4

Solar cycle 48:

His spark hurt. It called for someone, and no one answered. He wondered if the bond between him and his brother was really broken. Maybe his brother was dead and he didn't even know.

Sunstreaker stared at the celing. Moving his helm up was the most movement he could manage in the tight cell. No wonder the others hated solitary. He wouldn't complain once he got back to their cell. If he was even going back. Shockwave loved to punish. Maybe he'd have to pay more after this. Helping in the lab maybe, or perhaps he'd have to watch as Misery did her job.

Sunstreaker wondered if the day was over yet.

Solar cycle 49:

He hated how the voices continued on and on, rambling about things he'd done. They were behind him, he knew, and they were likely holding themselves together.

A mech moved forward. He gurgled. "You could have refused to fight." Sunstreaker finally placed his voice. It was Shakle, a large tan mech he'd fought a couple solar cycles after Misery.

"I didn't." Sunstreaker replied in hushed tones.

"You didn't." Shakle repeated, snarling.

If he could have hung his head, he would have.

He could feel the small wind from movement as one bot pushed Shakle out of the way. He knew it was a femme by her high-pitched pants.

"Did you enjoy it? Did you like the screams?" She gurgled. "I did."

"You stole my credits. You stole a picture. I was advised to-"

"To violate me? Violently, violate me." He felt her outer armor rub against his as it fell to the ground.

"Stop." He commanded. She froze. "If I didn't hurt you, they wouldn't have respected me. My paintings- stolen. My credits-taken. My brother- violated."

"So his violation was more important than mine? Wow. And you can't even remember what he looks like." She disappeared and another took her place.

He turned off his audio processors, but he still heard them, bright as day.

He didn't dare recharge with them hovering nearby, taunting, teasing him. It was his third day without her, his fourty-ninth without him and the fourth without recharge.

He wanted to see her again.

Solar cycle 50:

They had finally left him, one by one until none but one remained. The femme was quiet, unmoving and unsettling. With the others, he was drowning in lonliness. With her, he was drowning in her presence. Her designation was at the tip of his toungue. And then she was gone. She didn't torment him. She didn't say anything to him. She left, just as Shockwave came in.

His yellow gaze did not make him waver. He did not want to bow down to this evil mech. He did not want to let him win.

Shockwave got straight to the point. "You tried to escape, though you knew the punishment."

Sunstreaker said nothing.

"I do not care why." Shockwave circled him, like a predator circling it's prey. He traced Sunstreaker's frame with crazed optics. "You are too good a specimen to discard so easily. The rest of your punishment will be served later. I will be taking you back to your cell."

Shockwave cuffed Sunstreaker and dragged him out of the cell. The hallway was empty and silent except for their footsteps.

After a few turns, he was deposited back in his cell.

The door wheezed shut and he was darkness. As his optics adjusted, he knew he wasn't alone.

It was her. Misery.

"Are you functional?" He croaked.

She nodded. "Are you okay?" He sat on the floor and vented.

"I'm functional."

She coughed, splattering energon on the already dirty ground. "That's not what I asked."

He contemplated an answer. "No. I'm not okay." The words felt weird in his mouth. He'd never had to verbalize what he felt. Sides had always known.

She crossed the small cell and leaned her helm on his shoulder. It was instinct that he encircled her in his arms. Blue and gold. How beautiful they were together.

Her optics darkened as she fell into recharge. Sunstreaker kissed her helm and followed in her lead. Four days and finally- sleep.

Solar cycle 51:

Sunstreaker woke up _not_ feeling alone. On the edge of his mind, he could feel a snagged, half broken connection.

He couldn't make out more than the feelings that emancipated from it. _Hope, love, Worry, Anger._

He reflected the emotions the best he could and wondered if they'd be here any time soon.

Solar cycle 52:

"Sunny?" She vented, her voice reflecting her drowsiness.

"Yes?"

"You can ask another question or two. I think we missed a few days." Misery picked up a flattened cube and began to play with it.

"All right. How'd you stay 'untouched' while you were fighting in the rings?"

She blushed. "I-it's hard to explain. Do you mind if I show you?"

Sunstreaker raised an optic ridge, but nodded. Misery crawled across the floor slowly, moving her hip struts seductively as she approached. Her servo grazed his thigh, missing his pelvis by a breadth. Sunstreaker was as still as possible, not moving except for an occassional shiver. She wrapped both arms around him, one on his neck and the other on his waist; she leaned closer, her breast plates touching his chest. He could feel her vents cycling air, her lips were so tantailizingly close and-

A retro-rat scurried by, startling them both. As Sunstreaker fell back, Misery landed on top of him with her face in his lap. She quickly climbed off, though she stayed close to him. Her faceplates darkened with embarressment.

"It would go something like that, except for the last part."

Solar cycle 53:

Shockwave did not come, so neither of them had had any energon. The sound of their empty tanks drowned out the low feeling of his twin, who was slowly growing closer.

Misery was sitting closer to him than before, her helm in his lap. Suddenly she sat up.

"I have a question." She wrapped her arms around her stomach, probably trying to ignore the gnawing inside.

"What?" Sunstreaker's voice was interupted with a burst of static; His systems must have deemed that operation unneeded and sent the energon for it elsewhere.

"If we ever escape here-"

"We will." He asserted with a slightly stronger voice than before. He couldn't say out loud that help was coming, but he didn't want her to give up either. Sunstreaker knew that if a bot gave up on life, they offlined a whole lot quicker.

She raised an optic ridge and gazed at him dubiously before continuing. "Well, _when_ we get out of here, are you going to continue fighting?"

Sunstreaker shifted. He could imagine a time when leaving the planet was a possibility. He could have gotten himself a ship, gathered up those he cared about and blasted off to some far corner of the galaxy to live out the rest of his solar cycles in peace. That was a while ago. Too many people he cared about had been killed, hurt. He had revenge to extract, debts to pay.

He shook his head. "Maybe in another life I would have left this forsaken planet and found a place in the stars, but now? I have to keep fighting."

Misery smiled, and he couldn't help but think she was prettier than himself. "If we do get out, I'd owe a debt to whoever rescued us. I have having unpaid debts, so I'd have to agree."

They sat in silence for a while more, listening to those in cells nearby bicker and cry.

"Do you bielieve in love?" Sunstreaker didn't know why he said it. He could barely understand the meaning of the word. Lust? Sure. But love? He didn't have a clue.

Her optics sparkled as spoke; She was filled with stars. "Love? I don't think I know what love is exactly. Extreme devotion, filled with heartbreak and ectacsy. Holding them in your arms, but still feeling insecure. Yeah, I think that's the closest thing I know to love."

Even though she didn't answer his question, he decided to spit it out. He was dangerously low on energon and he knew that menat shockwave would come tomorrow to punish him. this might be his last chance.

He gathered the words,"I think I-"

The alarm went off, balaringly loud. He covered his audio sensors. outside, he could hear gunshots and the footsteps of gaurds, running torwards the exit.

Thump!

Something hit the cell door.

"Are you functional in there? We're here to get you out." That voice. The door rattled open and Sunstreaker flew torwards the exit.

"Jazz?" The short spy-bot looked about as surprised as Sunstreaker felt.

"We thought you were gone." Jazz turned back to the door, motioning for them to follow.

Sunstreaker helped Misery up, following closely behind his friend.

There wasn't much talking as they dashed down the halls to the medi-evac. They were deposited and Jazz promptly left, leaving Sunstreaker with Ratchet and an ecstatic brother.

Sideswipe grabbed him arm, refusing to let go as Ratchet doctored on him and Misery.

The bond was stronger now, and he could finally hear him clearly along with...something else, quietly listening in.

 _You'realiveyou'realive._

 _Missedyouforgotyou._

 _Hi._

They both froze; Sunstreaker in surprise and Sideswipe in distant protectiveness.

Misery looked dazed, and very lost. They could feel her groping for the edges of her own mind as she was pushed harshly into theirs.

 _It's okay, Sides. She's-_

Sides interupted in awe. _You're in love with her._


	5. Chapter 5

Solar cycle 1 after rescue:

Misery had never been close with anyone before. Sure, she had pretended to, but never actually felt anything. She feels something now. Her frame wants him to touch her again, but she won't ask. Sideswipe wants her to go away. She can't leave, she can't leave the one bot who was there for her.

A part of her feels angry that he automatically hates her, despises her existence. Another part agrees. She had met him many times before but never felt this way until they were forced together in that sick experiment. Was it her fault for never seeing how beautiful he was? It's not like she decides where she's sent to. If her squad is in the same spot as his, she's stuck and there's nothing she can do. Nothing she wants to do anyways.

 _Shut up. Stop wallowing in pity, fem-bot._ Sideswipe growls.

At least his insult is less derogatory than last time.

 _Well stop listening in if you don't wanna hear it._

 _I can't not listen, especially when I'm blocking Sunny from your perverse thoughts._ He taunts and she can feel the sneer in his thoughts.

She can feel herself blushing now, wondering how much he heard.

 _Well how do I keep it private?_ She's not sure he'll even help her, but who else will, if she's not allowed near Sunstreaker?

 _Open your mind first. Don't try to think, just feel._

Though she's surprised he replied, she does as told. Misery releases her thoughts. Release. Release and sooner or later, she's just feeling the anger, the jealousy, the fear and tiny bit of compassion. She can only see through the door, they're not hers, who is her? She's Misery and then she's back in her own head.

When her optics online again, Sideswipe is standing by the door. She's still stuck in her berth by Ratchet's orders, and has no choice but to wait for him to come over to her. As he raises his hand, she expects to be hit, from experience from the past and his angry stance. Instead, he's just waving. She waves back half-heartedly as she blushes.

He wheels across the small distance and grabs her small servo roughly. She hides her wince, but doubts he didn't notice her pain as he loosens his grip.

"You felt the barrier. Now construct it in your own mind. If you don't want me to know, then keep it in." His voice is not unkind, as he instructs her.

Misery stares at him numbly as she reaches the edge of her mind. His frame was not unlike Sunstreaker's, though Sideswipe doesn't have the same protective feel for her. She pushes the thought away and tries to feel and accomplish the task at hand. She can feel where their emotions collide and the thin membrane that could be a wall. With a sick pull, it closes and she is alone. It feels weird after being together for so long.

Tentatively, she asks, _I did it?_

 _Yes._

Sideswipe drops her hand as if it was a hot coal and steps away. She can still feel his hand in hers and knows it could've been Sunny.

She wishes it was.

Solar cycle 2 after rescue:

Sideswipe comes again the next solar cycle without being asked, by her anyways. Ratchet probably did, considering that he brought two cubes of energon with him. He hands her one and their servo's touch momentarily. A jolt runs through them and for a nanosecond she can feel some twisted semblance of love. Then it's gone and all Misery can feel is the cube of energon in her hand.

Silently she takes a sip and is careful not to consume it too fast, lest it come back up again, as it did yesterday. He does the same. When the cubes are empty, he walks closer to her, careful not to startle her.

"Sunny wouldn't tell me much about what happened while you were….." He pauses, seemingly unsure of what to say. "but, I saw a lot of it and I'm sorry. You went through a lot more than I expected."

Misery was unsure of how to respond. This was an apology, right? How do you accept apologies, anyways?

She smiled slightly, "It's fine. Don't worry about it and we can move on."

He nodded and left.

The room seemed very empty after that.

Solar cycle 3 after rescue:

When Misery onlined, Arcee was sitting on the edge of the berth. Her pink armor seemed oddly out of place in the dull room. She smiled.

"How're you doing, Ry?"

Misery sat up, pushing herself off of the berth. "Good." She reconsidered as the pink fembot eyed her suspiciously. "Well, better than before anyways."

It was a rare thing for the commander to show affection, yet she hugged her for at least a minute.

"I'm glad you're okay. Don't expect any solo missions for a while now, alright?" Arcee said as she left.

A little while later First Aid entered and began checking her diagnostics. He was silent except for a few 'hmm's and 'ah-ha's. Finally, he turned his scanner off and looked her in the optics.

"You're still very under-nourished, and that won't change quickly, but you're passable to be discharged." He wrote something down in a datapad. "Ratchet told me to tell you that he's in room three-twelve."

She nodded and quietly said her thanks as she slid through the door. The hallway was bustling with bots. Some mourning, some happy. Others were limping beside them, like a wounded funeral procession.

Misery joined their parade as she searched the door numbers for the correct one.

Finally she paused and opened the door. He was quiet, and still, though not asleep. For a moment, she considered leaving. And then he called out her name.

"Melancholia?"

She didn't have a chance to think before she was next to him, sitting on the bed as close as she dared to be.

His optics fluttered as he reached for her hand. His grip was stronger now, she noted.

"I'm here. I just got released." She said, smiling softly.

He sat up and she could see the recent scars on his abdomen, right above his spark. Then, for the second time that solar cycle, she was surprised by an action of emotion. He pressed his forehead against hers, and a jolt of pleasure ran between them.

He pulled back slightly to whisper in her audio sensors,"I'm glad you're okay. I missed you." Sunstreaker wrapped his arms around her and for a moment, she felt safe. He pulled her into the soft downy of his berth and pressed his lips on her again.

Misery pressed her face into his neck as he nibbled on her door wings. He laid back, refusing to let go. "Don't go."

"I won't." She promised.


	6. Chapter 6

Solar cycle 4 after rescue:

Why was she out of her cell? Was it a trap? The hallway was empty and she didn't know where she was or how to get back. Shockwave would punish her and make her spend more time with Them. Misey stood up numbly and creeped down the hall.

She managed three steps before her pedes caught on the floor and her legs have out. She closed her optics and waited for someone to come.

The servos, the digits. They were riddled through with needles and blades that hurt with every caress and grope. She refused to scream. Screaming showed how much they hurt her and she refused to let them know.

"Go ahead and cry little wench." He sneered. "No matter what it won't change the fact that no one will ever want you anymore. You're broken. Ugly. No longer innocent. Now you're nothing but my slave."

She whimpered as a rack of shudders ran through her frame. It was fire, acid that ran through her, not the touch of a mech.

Now she screamed.

Beneath all the pain, she could barely feel it: a steady servo. It was warm and gentle, two qualities these mechs did not posses. These mechs were all crazed and merciless. How could... She opened her optics to find a bright blue pair gazing into her with concern.

But Decepticons had purple optics and these were blue. As Misery thought it, the excited grunts faded away into silence which gave way to a familiar murmuring voice.

Sunstreaker pulled her into a hug and whispered in her audio percepters. "You're not there anymore. You're safe now."

She sobbed. "Th-they can still get me. I can't get away."

He held her tighter as he lifted her off the ground, stumbling until a second pair of servos joined his.

 _You're safe here. You'll always be safe with us._ They said in unison.

Solar cycle 5 after rescue:

Ratchet stared at her impassively. She tried to ignore him. He refused to be ignored.

"Misery."

She played with the empty cube, flattening it into the creases of her servos.

"Misery."

She rolled it into a ball.

"Misery, we have to talk about it. Otherwise we can't help you."

She beagn to add creases and curves, lines and angles.

"You were raped and I need to do a diagnostic to make sure you aren't carrying."

Misery stared at the half formed helm in her servos. "I'm not. I'm sterile."

Ratchet was stubborn. By now, most mechs would have left; the awkwardness was too much. The medic held his ground. He had been standing by the door for the majority of the conversation, but as she looked up, she found him to be right in front of her.

She froze as he placed a firm hand on her shoulder. His medic colorings clashed with her sky blue armor.

"I'm a medic. I'm here to help you, but I can only do that if you let me." and then he walked away.

Solar cycle 6 after rescue:

They had found her on the roof this time, quietly sobbing into her servos. She couldn't even remember what she had seen, what had been done. She could only remember the feel of the hurting hands.

Sideswipe had said nothing at first, had just sat beside her and let her know that she wasn't alone. Sunstreaker had sat on her other side. When she had stopped crying, she watched the stars. She did not remember when she went offline.

When she onlined again, she was laying between them in an unfamiliar room. The first thing she saw was the walls. They were covered in pictures. Old Cybertron, The Gladitorial arena, portraits. She could see everything, even a drawing of herself on the wall, killing a mech twice her size.

 _I told you that you'd be safe._ Sunny whispered.

 _Promises can't be broken._ Sideswipe added.

 _Thank you._ She replied, before falling into recharge once more.

Solar cycle 7 after rescue:

The Decepticons had struck back hard, only seven Solar cycles from the autobot fight back. The entire city of Torn was gone, completely obliterated, along with the fifteen thousand civilians who resided there. Sunny tried to hide it from her, but she saw it nontheless; an arrangement of dismembered legs and arms, spelling out her name, his name and many more.

She swallowed her fear. She was safe. She was safe. Shewassafe.

Misery sighed. She was fine. The screen flickered off and Optimus stepped onto the podium once more.

"There was no reason for this carnage. It was simply revenge, retaliation for the rescue of those taken as prisoner of war.." The picture flashed to a face peeking out of a shadowed cell. "They've done this without discrimination as well. Femmes, younglings, the carrying. It's time for them to pay." He paused as the growling and cheering of the crowd smothered his voice. "However, this mission is not like the others. It is not a suicide mission, but it is dangerous and I will not lie when I say it is disturbing." Next a map flashed on screen. Sunny could have drawn it better, she thought.

"We are going to infiltrate the Decepticon experimental base, or Pit-place, as you likely know of it. We know they have a pair of twins their as well as four femmes, two of which are carrying. This is a rescue mission, but it is also a fight back. They cannot defeat us. Any volunteers?"

Misery's servo ached to rise, but should she? Technically, she was allowed to fight and they most certainly wouldn't refuse her this, but…..

She rose her hand anyways, her blue armor shining bright in the lights. Optimus Prime looked her straight in the optics and nodded, as if to say, 'I commend you'. A gold servo and a silver rose beside her.

She could hear them grumbling, their voices blurred into one.

 _You shouldn't have._

 _What if you get hurt?_

 _Do you really want to go out again?_

She could remember the night terrors, the feelign of helplessness. As she dropped her servo, it tightened into a fist.

 _I want to make them pay._

And then suddenly they agreed.

 _They need to pay_

 _It's too late to resolve peacefully._

 _They deserve it._

After the meeting was over, they were directed to an adjoining room in the back. It wasn't even half full, yet they knew almost everyone there. Arcee, Elita one, Bluestreak, Jazz…

They waited patiently in line as Prowl and Optimus put them into squadrons. "Jazz, Elita One and Prowl, you are with me, Team B. Sunstreaker, Sideswipe and bluestreak are team A, leaving-"

She never thought Sunny could move so fast. He was in front of their leader before she had even noticed that he'd moved.

"We stay with Misery, or none of us go." It wasn't a question, couldn't even be mistook for one with the tone he said it in.

Optimus' guard stood alert around him, though the more familiar soliders did not. He waved the guard away. "Sideswipe, Sunstreaker, Bluestreak and Misery are team A." Sunstreaker nodded and stepped back. Oprimus Prime went on. "And the rest on team C." He pointed to a map. "Team A will infiltrate from the front entrance, while Team C creates a distraction near the Launch pad, allowing Team B to free the prisoners. Any specific instructions will be sent wirelessly by the end of the solar cycle. You are dismissed."


	7. Chapter 7

They had a breem before take-off and she still wasn't sure if she should give it to him hold off until they came. What if somebot didn't come back? The thought had been nagging her processor since the solar cycle she volunteered. She wasn't a good melee fighter; she wasn't bad either. Still, she prefered to be farther away with a sniper and scope on her.

But she volunteered anyways.

She pushed away the thought and looked at the sketchpad and paints she had bought. The merchant had been sure that she knew the rarity of the kit. It was an import from Velocitron, a lost colony since the war started. She knew he liked to draw, she had felt his joy in it during those times in Shockwave's labs. Misery looked at the other object, a small blade crafted from Valencian mirror shards and a hilt of Ore-15. This dagger wouldn't break; it was almost indestructable. Not to mention the materials used were rare. He had to like it, she decided.

 _He never thought he could fall in love. And then Sunny did. After being separated for so long, how could he? He hated this object of his brothers affection, to which previously he had been the only recipant. And then Sides actually got to know her. How could anyone not love her? She was meek and quiet, someone you would want to protect; but she was also strong enough to take care of herself and yet careful enough to create. She was magnificent and it was magnificent that their spark wanted hers. So rare, he knew it would warrent Shockwave's attention. Sideswipe couldn't bear for it to end, even if no one had acknowledged it's start._

 _He quickly walked through the ship, learning it's layout, it's weapons, it's make. He would have to fly this beheamoth there without a copilot, because he wouldn't dare let Sunny leave Misery alone._

 _He sighed at the rust on the walls and sat down in the pilot's seat. At least he was comfy, he thought, digits tracing the panels._

Hi.

Hi.

 _She gracefully stepped forward, a small box in her hands. She offered it to him._

" _Thank you." He murmered as he brushed the covering off. Underneath it rested a shining blade, the hilt a beautifull silver handle that matched his armor. It was handmade, that he could tell by her name scribed on the handle, but it was wonderfully made. He had never had a weapon so finely made._

 _He looked up at her again, barely catching her optics as she turned to leave. "Thank you." He repeated. "It's lovely, but not as much as you are."_

 _She smiled softly, her faceplates lighting up as she exited and sat down in the cabin._

 _His brother didn't come in to check on him. He didn't want to leave Misery either._

" _Autobots, the time has come for…." Prome began to talk from the overhead speakers. He was going into one of his overlydramatic speeches again. They bored Sides to death to listen. He poked at the bond between him and Sunstreaker._

I have an idea.

I'm not helping you paint Ironhide pink.

I have a different idea. An important one.

 _Maybe it was the tone of his voice, maybe they had the same thought, but for some reason the yellow mech stopped ignoring him and listened. Sunny sighed mentally and checked to see that she was listening to Prime and not them before nudging him on to continue._

We love her don't we? _The 'L' word stuck in his mind like energon in a greased over tube. He hadn't really said the word before meeting her and now it was poping up into general conversation. At this point it wasn't even as rare as it once was, not nearly as surprising. Still, they hadn't said it aloud to her yet, nor her to them._

Well that's pretty obvious. What are we going to do about it?

 _Sunstreaker didn't have a chance to answer as Misery scooted closer to him and pulled a box from her subspace. It was thick, made of some alien material that was obviously expensive. He opened it gingerly and froze completely when he saw what was inside. Sides didn't have to ask Sunstreaker to share, he was already projecting the image for him: art supplies._

Not art supplies you idiot. Expensive art stuff. Stuff I've always wanted to get but couldn't afford.

Fine. Fanncy art supplies.

 _Sunstreaker wanted to say it. He was planning to say it, but he never got a chance. "I'm in love with you both." She said, her optics gleaming against her blue and yellow armor._

 _Sunstreaker placed his digits to hers, making them both gasp at the sensation. "The feeling is returned." They touched digits, two times, thrice more and the sensations were so foreign to him. This is love this is love this is love._

 _One of the other pilots honked at him and Sides pushed Sunstreaker out of his mind. It didn't help. He could still feel them in the back, and it was extremely distracting._

Sweetspark, while this is the most awesome thing ever, you are making it impossible to fly and therefore impossible to get revenge.

 _They separated with a sigh, just as Bluestreak ran inside. "Oh my Primus. I almost missed the ship and then I would have missed the….._

 _He was ignored by Sunstreaker, pushed away until he was nothing but a dull buzz in the back of his mind. Misery tried to be polite, but even she started to ignore him. Sides flew calmly, keeping an eye on them and the controls at the same time._

So, as a concensus this is….?

 _She sighed and blushed, the curves of frame highlighted by the rush of energon. Was she embarressed to say it aloud? Was it something to be ashamed about? He felt slightly at the edge of her mind._ Love. Splashes of red and yellow, with occasional blues. Flying. Surprise and bashfulness. _No, she was just bashful and slightly frightened to say it aloud to them._

I love you too.

All right, all right. Stop saying it. You're going to wear it out.

You can't wear out love Sunny.

Don't call me that. _He grumbled. Sides took no mind of him. For the first time that they could remember, they were perfectly whole and content._

 ** _Thank you guys for sticking with me. I totally forgot that I hadn't posted this and it's been sitting on my computer for months. I'd appreciate some reviews. Also, I'll be taking requests for stories, chapters and outtakes. Fell free to submit._**


	8. Chapter 8

**Day eight after rescue continued:**

 _The ship beeped and he snapped back to reality. He was flying too low. He corrected it and set the ship on autopilot._

 _Sunny?_

 _Sunny?_

 _No reply. He peeked through the window to view the cabins. They were both asleep, Blue oblivious in the seat adjacent. She loves us, doesn't she? He reflected as he sat back down in the pilot's chair. The compound was coming into view, and though the ship had freshly updated cloaking programs, he didn't doubt that Laserbeak or a skilled flyer would notice them approaching._

 _Alarms started to go off as they were peppered with birdshot. The ship started to hiss as the main shuttle decompressed. The engines were filled with holes and wouldn't respond. On the control panel, he could only see one control still alight: the combustion level panel. The bar was slowly rising from yellow to orange and he knew he only had a few moments to evacuate._

 _Leaving the ship on autopilot, he opened the door to the main shuttle. Sunny stood before him, jetpack offered in one servo, the other wrapped tightly around Misery's thin waist. Sunny had already strapped his jet-pack on, and attatched Misery to him as well with the dual belt. Blustreak had finised strapping himself in in the time it took for them to. Sideswipe motioned for him to jump. The sound of shooting followed as he fell._

" _Are you sure it's safe?" She asked, a bit of fear creeping into her voice as she surveyed the height._

 _Sunstreaker shrugged. "As safe as falling into a warzone can be." Sideswipe supposed that must have made her feel better, as she snuggled closer to him and unholstered her guns. "Ready, Misery?"_

" _Ready!" She replied, slight anger and excitement slipping free into the bond. Sunstreaker jumped. Sideswipe fell after him, doing his best to ignore the bomb to be behind him. Several of Starscream's troops aimed at them, more than a few managing to hit. Misery took a good bit of them down, his sniper skills doing more than they could do as they tried to control their flight._

 _They landed in the hot zone with a thud, already running as the jetpack disengaged. The front gate was heavily guarded, but most of the heavy artillery was in the air, and Misery had injured quite a bit of them. That only left a few fliers, which Bluestreak managed to get rid of from whereever he was camped out at, and the ground units. Sunstreaker and Sideswipe took down those who dared to melee, while Misery dealt with the shooters that were too far away to hit._

 _A final squard approached them, and that was when Sideswipe realized that they would have a problem. The squad was composed of six bots. Three were brainwashed experiments, the other two legendary decepticons. The last one was Thunderclash himself. He had killed over six hundred autobots during the seige of Althilex. He escaped without a single injury. The experiments were nothing to play with either. They were known as Trio, sense they all looked the same until they trasformed. They could combine together to make a small combiner that could rival Megatron in strength. Sideswipe wondered if their blue plating was painted that color, or stained that way due to the enemies that they had killed. The duo of decepticons was comprised of another pair of twins, ones that Megatron had trained in the arena. They were known as Thunderdome and Lightstrike, or together as The Storm._

 _Sunstreaker automatically stepped in front of Misery, swords out, position defensive. Misery wasn't exactly making it easy though. Her smaller built in gun had been switched with her secondary, a large machine gun than drained more power that any gun should, even if the shots more than made up for it._

 _As Trio stalked towards them, Thunderdome charged at Sunstreaker as Lightstrike aimed for SIdeswipe. They met with a clash of metal as their swords collided. Sparks flew as Sideswipe parryed, barely managing to keep himself from being hit. Meanwhile, Misery tried to shoot the now combined Trio's legs out from under him, and though her aim impeccable, it didn't do much damage._

 _It was exhausting spreading his mind across three fights as once, just as it was impossible to ignore them too. He could simeltaneously fight Sunstreaker while keeping an eye on Misery. The only issue was that it left his own guard down. He swung wrong and ended up hitting Lightstrike, only to receive damage in his leg because of it. He continued fighting, directin gmost of his mind to watch over Misery, who was slowly getting closer to Trio. She managed one last hit to his kneecap, which buckled under their combined weight. The three separated, and converged. One of them grabbed her neck roughly, murmuring obscene things to her as the other two felt her up. She froze for a second, a glitch coming on as her PTSD came back in a rush before she came back to life with a loud scream._

 _They had only known about it a second before it happened. But it was enough. They blocked their audio receptors as her scream rang in the field of the dead, frying their oppenent's processors for a moment. And that moment was all that they needed. Trio was too close to the scream and had the most damage, leaving them incapitated enough for Misery to force her way out of their grasp. Her moverments were slow and sluggish, so they hurried, cutting their heads off cleanly before doubling back to help her up._

" _Didn't know you could do that." Sideswipe murmured as she took long, labored vents. Sunstreaker kept an optic out as they crossed the gate._

" _I don't do it often." She sighed, finding her way to her feet. "No more guns for me today." She exchanged her energon depleting guns for a pair of twin sword that they had recommended._

 _Sideswipe watched her carefully to be sure that she could stand on her own. The hallway before them was deserted and smelled like a trap. They continued onwards, watching their steps._

 _The only door was at the end of the hall, the door shoved open at an angle so that it was stuck and couldn't close. They nodded and walked inside in formation, swords out so that all sides were closed from attack. As it turned out, they needed keys more than swords. None of the jailers were in the room. All that was there was cages, rows and rows of them. They were stacked to ceiling with four or five femmes in each one. All of them had plump midsections that denoted growing sparklings. The lower ones contained younglings, all of them injured in some way. Some of them had their spark chambers visible through windows. Others had limbs that were far too big for their bodies. Misery whined._

" _Better start unlocking doors then." Sunstreaker said as he started flipping switches. An alarm went off overhead._


	9. Chapter 9

**Solar cycle 8 after rescue, continuation:**

Misery frowned. There were so many of them, it would be impossible to take them all out at once, at least with their ship broken it was. Instead, it was left to her and Bluestreak to watch them all, corral them until Sunstreaker and Sideswipe came back with Team B.

She leaned against a wall adjacent to the door, watching some of the younglings. They were deformed, but still younglings. She'd expected them to be running around, playing and rowdy. Instead, they were silent. They sat alone or in groups, huddled together like clumps of unrefined enrgon crystals. Nothing at all like what she had expected.

As she watched them, she considered what it would be like to have a sparkling of her own. If she could anyways. She wondered how that would happen. I mean, there are two of them, she thought. She wrapped her arms around her stomach and waited. It was hard to make them go on without her, but she wouldn't have any of it. She was practically useless now that she couldn't shoot, and since Bluestreak was also not of much use, they stayed there together.

She hated waiting. She could hear the gunshots from the other side of the base, some echoing in the room, some from the bond between. Misery could see flashes of them, knocking mechs away. Killing in tandem. It should have frightened her how well they killed, how little thought they put into it. It didn't. She trusted them with her life.

Another shot rang through her helm, this time much closer. She turned, the prisoners scurrying into their cells, closing the doors lightly behind them. Bluestreak had already found a good position to shoot from and stayed there. Since she couldn't shoot, she stayed there, only moving slightly to the right in order to avoid being shot if they came in guns blazing.

 _Did somebot get past you?_

 _Oh pit._ Sideswipe said as he swung his blade again, cleanly separating a purple mech's helm from it's body.

Sunstreaker stabbed another that was aiming for Sideswipe's helm. _Possibly somebot using image disrupter technology, but I don't think anymech on their side has that. Only Cliffjumper, right?_

 _Yeah._ She replied. That technology was very unstable. It was unlikely that it was true, unless…

 _I think there was a missing area on the schematics. A hallway, a door. You see anything like that that shouldn't be there on the way out?_

Sideswipe didn't answer as he split a mech in half vertically. Sunstreaker cut through another diagnally, then paused, overlaying the scematics with what he had seen. _Frag. Yeah, on the way in. We'll be there soon. Think you can hold 'em off._

 _I'm about to find out._ She said as the door flew open, slamming into the wall beside her. A large femme with alt form mods walked in, her eight supplementary legs scurrying on the floor like a scraplet. Her six eyes narrowed as she surveyed the room. Wherever she looked, prisoners scrambled deeper into the darkness, trying to not make eye contact.

The femme stopped a few feet in front of her and transformed, taking on a more humanoid bot form. She smiled and rows upon rows of razer sharp teeth showed.

"I know you're here, little femme~" She trilled, her voice echoing in the large room. "Why not make it easier on both of us. After all, we both know you can't shoot me." She laughed. "And I'll hear any transmission you make."

Misery vented deeply, then ran out, both swords out. The femme was turned backwards, so she managed to cut her with both before she blocked. The femmer dodged, transforming back into her alt form in the blink of an optic. She ran at the wall, her pedes sticking and allowing her to run up it. She started shooting, and Misery cursed the lack of cover in the room.

Misery ran, zig zagging as she tried to climb to higher ground. A shot hit her left arm and it fell limp, energon leaking out at an alarming rate. The femme laughed again.

"Hurts, doesn't it? A bullet laced with my own venom. An Arachnia special." She aimed again, but this time Misery managed to block it with her sword. The shot bounced off, lodging itself in the wall of a cell.

"You talk too much." Misery replied as she threw one of the swords. Taking the other from her limp arm, she jumped up to the next highest row of cells and then at her. Her sword managed to pierce Arachnia's midsection, and it cut off a good portion of one of her legs.

Arachnia cried out as Misery dragged her down with her, using her lighter frame in her favor. She pushed her beneath her, landing on her as they crashed to the ground. However, her advantage did not last long.

Arachnia shoved her off of her, shooting at her again. It was a direct hit, right under her spark chamber, where a sparkling would be carried. A hit like that would have downed a fetile femme, but since...it had happened, she wasn Misery shut off her pain receptors, blocking the alerts that her system was sending her. She didn't need to be told that she was losing too much energon; she knew that already.

::Bluestreak, shot her. I can't hold her off.:: Arachnia kicked her, cutting her leg deep. It was then that she noticed that her legs were covered with razer sharp lazer armor. Great. Another thing for her to avoid.

::I'm trying, but it's hard when you two won't separate because I can't get a clear shot and I don't want to hurt you because I like you, but also kinda because the Twins will murder me if-::

::Just shoot!:: She snarled, barely avoiding being hit again with one of her razer sharp legs.

She stabbed Arachnia's chassis, just as the decpticon fired at her again. It was at point blank range, and though she didn't look down, nor could feel it, she knew that there was a good sized hole in her. At least now there was a hole in Arachnia as well.

Misery fell back onto the ground just as Bluestreak made a headshot. The decepticon fell down with a loud clatter, her legs folding beneath her with a sickening crunch. Her twins ran in, a second too late, team B behind them.

"Primus." Sunstreaker said, both aloud and in her head. He ran over to her, lightly placing her helm in his lap.

 _We'll get you fixed. You'll be fine. You'll be fine._

Her pain inhibtiors were wearing off. She sleepily wondered if she could keep them from feeling her pain.

 _No I'm not. I don't even have to look. There's a hole in me._

 _And we'll fix it._ Sideswipe chimed in as he held her hand.

 _You can't fix everything. I told you all I would bring is sadness. That's all Melanchoila is._

Her head hurt, she thought, just before she faded away.


	10. Chapter 10

**Solar cycle 8 after resuce:**

 _No._

They replied, a second too late. Her spark was barely thrumming, it's light a small spark in the darkness of her chassis.

Most of the others looked away as a spark was a personal thing, not one to be seen in such a public way. The medical team was rushing their way, and Sunstreaker wanted to hope that she would be fine; but deep inside, he knew that it wasn't. She had been shot right in her sparkling chamber. She wouldn't be able to reproduce, and that was something few femmes recovered from. It was a surprise honestly that she had lasted this long.

From her shoulder and another bullet wound in her leg, dark black lines were climbing up her chassis. The dead body of another of Shockwave's experiments shifted and Sideswipe shot it again without looking. The rest of them were helping the rescued prisoners escape. Sideswipe looked up at Bluestreak.

The blue fast talker tried to avoid his gaze, but couldn't. He walked closer, keeping a large distance between them.

"Why didn't you do anything?" They asked, their voices combined into a single tone of thunder. "Why couldn't you help her?"

Bluestreak shifted, taking a half step back. "She fought her hand to hand. If I shot, I would've hit her too and I didn't know that the 'con had posion, cause if I did I would'a shot her, but I didn't, not until Misery-"

Sunstreaker had switched her into Sideswipe's lap so quickly that Bluestreak didn't have time to dodge out of his way. However, Prowl and Jazz had predicted his move and shoved the blue praxian out of the way. Sunstreaker snarled.

"You should've fought instead of hiding like a coward."

Bluestreak did not reply. Sunstreaker continued to resist, shoving anf pulling until their grips grew too tight.

Red Alert came in with her two assistants, an emergency kit already out. She knelt down beside Misery and started to work on her.

 **Solar cycle 9:**

Patience was not one of Sideswipe's best traits, especially when it was something this important. He paced along the floor, slowly wearing it down. They had arrived back on base soon after the medic came. Misery was immediately brought in for surgery and they hadn't seen her yet. All that they could feel was the low hum of pain that never seemed to leave her.

 _I still want to kill him._ Sideswipe grumbled. Sunstreaker pulled him closer.

 _You think I don't? I just don't want to have her wake up without us because we're in the brig or in a high tech prison._

Sideswipe snorted. _As if that would hold us._

Ratchet walked out of the room, walking over to another waiting Autobot. He said a few words and placed a servo on her shoulder before walking away. She started to keen, her voice filled with the pain of losing someone that she loved. She wrapped both arms around her midsection, rocking back and forth.

They looked away as Ratchet came to a stop in front of them. "She was injected with two doses of posion, had a hole in her and her arm had to be replaced. Somehow she managed to pull through, but her spark isn't growing like it's supposed to. It's shrinking."

"So she's gonna die." Sideswipe growled, claws digging into Sunstreakers shoulder.

"I didn't say that. She leaked too much and now it doesn't have enough raw material to build itself up again with. Sparkbonding would provide enough excess energy to rebuild it and strengthen it enough to make her well, but considering the current size of hers, she'll need it to happen twice."

Sideswipe stared at him blankly. Ratchet sighed. "You need to sparkbond, both of you for her to live. I've got her awake for now, so you should go see her." He started to walk away, but paused, looking back. "She's been good for you. Don't mess it up."

Sideswipe looked at his brother, who was conveying the same emotion back to him. They rose together and walked into her room.

She lay on a berth, frighteningly still. Her arm was replaced with another that was slightly the wrong color to match the rest of her. Freshly welded scars stood out on her otherwise polished body. Her optics came online.

 _Hey._

They winced at her pain. _Hello, little femme._ Sideswipe replied. She winced, a memory of the fight returning to her mind.

" _I know you're here little femme~" The Con said as she began her hunt._

 _Sorry, sorry. We didn't know._

She shook her head. _It's fine. You came in here to ask, didn't you? To talk about how to..fix it?_

Sunstreaker cleared his vocal processors as he sat down on the right of her, Sideswipe on her left. "Yeah."

She nodded again. "You don't have to. I'm not going to force you into it. It's not like I'm that important, I mean, I'm already intruding."

"Stupid femme. How on Cybertron could you think that? I fraggin' love you. _We_ fraggin love you. You know that." Though of course, they knew why she had said that. Spark bonding was permanent. It linked two bots together forever, even through death. In this case it was three. This meant that if one of them died, the other two would continue to feel that pain for the rest of their miserable existance. Very few had done so since the war began, the few exceptions including Prowl and Jazz, as well as Optimus and Elita One.

Sideswipe frowned and shook his helm. "We already thought that you died once, we're not going to let that happen again." Even if one died, they would still have a small part of them inside. That small something of a connection was worth it.

She looked at the bothe of them, taking her time to press her palm against the side of Sunstreaker's faceplate, trailing her fingers down to his spark and them to his hand. They touched fingers for a monet, and they all basked in the pleasurable heat that came from the contact. Sunstreaker couldn't remember if they had kissed like this before.

"Are you sure?" Misery asked quietly. He nodded.

"More sure of this than anything else in the world."

She turned to Sideswipe, trailing the seam on down his chest and again meeting his fingers. He blushed, energon rushing to his fingertips.

"Don't even bother to ask. You already know the answer is yes."

 _Let's go back to our room._ She said, the sentence sounding almost like a question. Slowly she got off the berth, unsteady at first, but still able to walk. She tested her legs for a moment before following the two of them back to their room.

The hallways were full of mechs and femmes, bustling to get to their destinations. Some of them leered at them as they walked by and it annoyed Sunstreaker the most. It wasn't as if trios were untold of on Cybertron. Some even had romantic groups of four. Just because they were twins didn't mean that they couldn't have that bond too. He clenched his fists, then released them. It didn't matter. They weren't the ones going to get bonded now. They were.

Soon enough, they were back in their room. The mural was slightly faded, but still visible; Misery smiled, which made Sunstreaker even more proud of his work.

Their berth, made of an extra wide welded together with another extra wide took up most of the room. She blushed as she tried to get on it, but she was too short toget up on her own. Wordlessly, Sunstreaker helped her up.

 _Thanks._

 _No problem, Misery._

She blushed again as they sat down beside her. What were they supposed to do now? It wasn't as if they hadn't interfaced before. They just hadn't done it all together, or with a plan to bond. Misery broke the awkwardness with a small giggle as she leaned over , crawling into Sunstreaker's lap. She leaned her helm up and kissed the underside of his neck, trailing kisses up until she couldn't reach any higher. Sunstreaker fondled her chestplates as Sideswipe started to nip at her neck.

Her servo trailed lower, and they grew closer together, like a magnet was attracting them. She loved them, loved them both and this was the first time that she had done this because she wanted to. Sideswipe could feel her hesitation, as she was always giving, always selfless in these situations; it was her job to be. He kissed her softly. This time, she was of importance too.

Sunstreaker exhaled as his hands met his brothers, the other lightly massaging Misery's. She would never feel alone again. She was their third half, the last piece of the puzzle. She gasped.

Her chassis opened. A bright blue light, much dimmer and smaller than it should be thrashed weakly in her spark chamber. Sunstreaker looked at his brother, who was smiling brightly. He hadn't seen him smile like that in cycles.

With a quiet hush, they opened their own. Their sparks were almost identical in color, shape and form. Both were yellow, tinged with red that slowly lightened. They stuggled in two directions; towards each other and Misery.

Sideswipe moved over, allowing his brother to go first as he continued to kiss his femme. He could feel the exchange of memories between them, the strengthening of the bond between them. Her spark strummed a little louder as it tangled with his. Sunstreaker didn't want to pull away, his spark tangling in hers. Slowly, it released itself at the insistence of his brother's spark, pulling at Misery's open chassis.

Sideswipe leaned closer, letting his spark merge with hers. The light grew brighter, flashing until his spark drew in some of her color, tinging his own until it carried spots of green amoungst it's yellow and red.

Slowly, they separated. Her spark was bright again, thrumming softly beside their own. They laid down beside her, one on each side. Curled into each other, sparks thrumming together, they fell into recharge, satisfied that at least something went their way.


End file.
